True Power of Gratitude

I hope you all are doing well. Last Sunday I was invited to a friends house for a girls day. I was excited to meet my friend’s sisters, her daughter and niece in addition to a couple of her friends. During the lovely afternoon, I had several nice conversations however one in particular stuck with me and became my inspiration for this week.

One of her sisters and I were standing in the kitchen together getting to know each other. We have kids the same age and some other things in common. At some point the conversation shifted to a chat about family illness and struggles and she shared how difficult the last few years had been for her extended family. They had experienced a lot of grief and loss and change. She went on to say that she used to be very happy go lucky and didn’t take life too seriously but all of the struggles in her family had changed that.

I was fully expecting her at that moment to share that she was more stressed and anxious than she used to be; in fact I almost heard the words coming out of her mouth but they didn’t come. Instead she finished her sentence by saying that she is so much more GRATEFUL now.

This was a clear reminder of the true power of gratitude. Many of us connect to gratitude when things are going right because most of us are naturally grateful people. However, touching gratitude becomes more difficult (yet infinitely more powerful) when we can access it during challenging times; that is when we can connect to our true nature and allow our gold to shine through.

“Adversity does not build character, it reveals it” James Lane Allen

The mat is a perfect place to practice this. We experience adversity on the mat often and when we do, our attention goes to what is tight or restricted or not working the way we would like, and usually judgment and anxiety follow. That focus pulls us away from the attention on all that is working in our bodies; all we actually have to be grateful for.

This practice of cultivating gratitude during difficult moments is challenging both on and off the mat. It is the practice of noticing where the mind goes and meeting the thoughts with compassion which allows us to create a U-turn in the mind; circling us back to what we have to be grateful for. When we can do this; it is very empowering because we get to see our true character, touch our inner gold and free ourselves from the temporary suffering. It helps us understand that it is all part of the path and allows us to be grateful for the journey. I know how difficult this practice can be (I am practicing right along with you) however I also know the intense joy that gratitude brings and I wish that for all of you this week in your practice.